Record Spotify with Audacity on Mac/Windows

Part 1. How to Record Spotify with Audacity on Mac/Windows

Audacity is specialized in recording audio from both a microphone and computer playback. It allows you to export audio to MP3, WAV, FLAC, and other audio formats. You can use it to record Spotify music to multiple formats so as to become compatible with more devices. With Audacity, you can also add effects to Spotify tracks and mix the recorded Spotify files according to your needs. Below are the steps how Audacity record Spotify.

Step 1 Set up Playback Devices to Record Spotify

After installing Audacity on your Mac/Windows computer, please launch it from the computer desktop. And then hit on the 'Edit' button from the top-left toolbar. And then select the 'Preferences' > 'Audio Host Box' > 'Windows WASAPI' option.

Step 2Turn Software Playthrough Off for Recording

It's necessary to turn Software Playthrough off when recording computer playback in Audacity. To do this, please select 'Transport' > 'Transport Options' > 'Software Playthrough' to turn it off. (Or you can do it by tabbing the 'Recording' under the 'Audacity Preferences'.)

Step 3Start to Record Spotify with Audacity

Want to import songs from Spotify to Audacity for recording? There is no need to do this. Simply press the red 'Record' button in your Audacity. After that, please play Spotify music that you'd like to record. Then it will automatically record from Spotify in real time. When all audios are recorded well, simply click the 'Stop' icon to save Spotify recordings to your computer.

Part 2. Alternatives to Audacity: Record Spotify to MP3

The above is a simple tutorial on how Audacity record from Spotify. Actually, the user guide of Audacity is much more complicated than this. In this case, is there an easier method to record from Spotify without using Audacity?

Yes. In this section, we will show you two alternatives to Audacity. One is a professional Spotify downloader, and the other is a simpler Spotify recorder. They can both be used to record and download Spotify music on Mac and Windows.

No.1 AudFree Spotify Music Downloader

AudFree Spotify Music Downloader is a professional downloader for Spotify. No need to play Spotify songs one by one, it provides a simple way to load Spotify tracks in batches. Besides, it allows you to download real files of Spotify songs, playlists, albums, podcasts, and audiobooks.

You can also set the output format as MP3, FLAC, WAV, AAC, etc. Besides, it is able to customize the output parameters like the channel, bit rate, and so on. With a 5X faster download speed, you can save a lot of time and energy. Even this, the original sound quality as well as all the ID3 tags will be fully preserved.

The highlight features of this perfect tool have been listed below. You can check them out. You can also install this downloader by clicking the 'Download' button below.

AudFree Spotify Music Downloader

• Download Spotify songs/playlists/albums/podcasts losslessly
• Convert Spotify music to MP3, AAC, FLAC, WAV, and more formats
• Download up to 5x faster and retain full ID3 tags
• Easier and simpler to use than Audacity to record Spotify music

Download

Download

Step 1Import Spotify Music/Playlists/Albums

Different from Audacity, this smart tool offers 2 easy ways to add Spotify songs. You can drag and drop songs from the Spotify app to this software directly. Alternatively, it's able to copy and paste the links of Spotify music to the AudFree tool. It will load Spotify songs in batches.

Step 2Define Output Format for Spotify Songs

To open the setting window, please click the 'Preferences' > 'Convert' option. In the pop-up window, you can adjust the output format, channel, sample rate, bit rate, conversion speed, and more. Also, it's possible to skip this step and directly download Spotify songs to MP3 by default.

Step 3Start to Download Spotify with AudFree

There is a big 'Convert' button at the main interface of the AudFree Spotify Music Downloader. Please click it to launch the download process. And then you can click the 'Converted' button to locate all lossless Spotify files and transfer them to other devices for playback anytime.

No.2 AudFree Audio Capture

AudFree Audio Capture is another alternative to Audacity. It is also a powerful recorder but simpler than Audacity. You can use it to record Spotify to MP3, FLAC, AAC, WAV, etc. The recorded Spotify music files are high quality and able to play on other portable devices. Also, you can split, trim, merge, and edit the recorded Spotify songs as you want.

AudFree Audio Capture

• Losslessly record playlists or albums from Spotify
• Capture all types of sound on Mac/Windows in batch
• Record Spotify music to MP3, AAC, WAV, etc.
• Keep all the ID3 tags and able to preview files

Download

Download

Steps to Record Spotify Music with AudFree Audio Capture

Step 1Open AudFree and Set the Basic Settings

Open AudFree Audio Capture and you will see there is a list including installed programs in the main interface. If the target web browser or other programs you'd like to use is not in the list, you can click the big '+' button to add it directly.

Step 2Customize Spotify Output Format

Please click the 'audio' icon at the bottom-right corner to set the output parameters. The default output format is MP3. You can also change the codec, channel, bit rate, and so on. Remember to click 'OK' to save the changes.

Step 3Play and Record Spotify Music

Now, please choose the 'Spotify' icon from the list and play the music you want to record. Then AudFree Audio Capture will record your playing Spotify music automatically. You will see the recording process in a new window.

Step 4Edit and Save Spotify Recordings

To stop the recording process, you just need to stop playing Spotify music or quit up the Spotify app. After recording, you can edit the Spotify recordings as you want. Finally, please touch the 'Save' option to save Spotify music in the destination folder.

Part 3. Comparison between Audacity and Its Alternatives

We've shown you how to record Spotify with Audacity and its two best alternatives. They are both powerful tools, but there are still some differences between them. We have summarized their differences in the below chart.

Part 4. FAQs about Audacity Spotify

Below are some frequently asked questions about Spotify Audacity. You can check them to have a better understanding.

Q1: Can Audacity Record Streaming Audio?

A: Yes, Audacity can record streaming audio including Spotify.

Q2: Why Should We Record Spotify Music?

A: Tracks downloaded by Spotify cannot be played outside of the Spotify application. If the device is not compatible with the Spotify app, you cannot enjoy Spotify songs even with a Premium membership.

But if you record Spotify streaming audio, it's all solved. Whether you're using a Spotify free or Premium account, you can do the following things. You can listen to Spotify songs offline without ads. You can get local Spotify tracks encoded in MP3 format. Then it's possible to play Spotify on all devices, players, speakers, etc., without the need to install the Spotify app.

Q3: Can You Use Audacity with Spotify?

A: Yes, you can record Spotify with Audacity. You can also download and record music from Spotify with AudFree Spotify Downloader or AudFree Audio Capture.

Part 5. In Conclusion

This is how to record Spotify with Audacity. Without a doubt, Audacity is the best tool for recording Spotify music for free. We also present to you the two best alternatives to Audacity. One is also a recording tool called AudFree Audio Capture. And the other is a professional downloader called AudFree Spotify Downloader. They are professional tools to help you download Spotify music as local files. You can choose any one of them according to your needs.